Ethiopia Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin, 5 August 2013

The findings of the multi-agency and multi-sector national needs assessment were consolidated into a first draft of the Humanitarian Requirements Document covering the second half of 2013. The document was submitted to the Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector for endorsement, last week. The launch of the Humanitarian Requirements Document is tentatively scheduled for the end of this week.

The assessment covered areas that receive short belg (mid-February to May) rains, as well as agro-pastoralist areas in the eastern and southern lowlands that receive gu/ganna/sugum (March to June) rains. Secondary data generated by the Livelihood Early Assessment and Protection (LEAP) software and the National Meteorological Agency (NMA) complemented the assessment findings. For more information, contact ocha-eth@un.org

Health Update

As of July 22, 141 confirmed cases of yellow fever and 55 suspected deaths (still to be confirmed) were reported from South Omo, Segen people and Arbaminch zones of SNNP region. The majority of the cases were from South Ari woreda of South Omo zone. Last week saw a decrease in reported cases in parallel with the spread of the outbreak to neighbouring zones. Overall, reported cases have gradually declined since mid-June. Of the 607,462 people targeted by the second phase reactive yellow fever vaccination in the eight woredas and Jinka city of South Omo zone, the Regional Health Bureau, in collaboration with health partners, has reached 543,558 people (89 per cent). The bureau is working to initiate and/or enhance yellow fever surveillance in all areas affected by or at risk for this public health concern.

In Somali region, the Ethiopian government, in collaboration with health partners, strengthened community based surveillance and is implementing polio supplementary immunization activities following the polio outbreak in neighbouring Somalia and in the Dadaab refugee camp and its host district in Kenya. An initial emergency immunization campaign targeted 183,000 children under-15 years in the Dollo Ado refugee camps and the host community. A subsequent immunization round targeted 2.6 million children under-15 years in Somali region, Harari region, the city of Dire Dawa, as well as selected high-risk zones in Oromia and SNNP regions. The second round of the immunization campaign targeted children under-15 years in Somali region, Bale, Guji, East and West Hararge zones of Oromia region, as well as Silti and Alaba zones of SNNP region. A third round vaccination campaign is ongoing.

WHO is mobilizing resources to strengthen surveillance in high-risk areas and to increase the vaccination coverage.
As of 31 July, 83 cases of wild polio virus were confirmed in Somalia and 10 cases in Kenya. There are no confirmed cases of polio reported in Ethiopia. For more information, contact: who-wro@et.afro.who.int

Relief Food Update

As of 30 July, the first round of relief food distribution reached 97 per cent and the second round distribution stood at 78 per cent. The third round of relief food dispatch is also nearing completion, with 91 per cent of the total allocation dispatched, while distribution stood at 30 per cent.
Meanwhile, preparations for the dispatch and distribution of the fourth round are on-going. Unlike the second and third rounds, the fourth round allocation is expected to include a full food basket and food ration. Due to supply shortages, DRMFSS-covered areas receive a reduced food basket (no oil) and reduced ration of the Corn Soyadddi Blend (CSB) for the second round distribution. Similarly, the third round, DRMFSS-covered areas receive a reduced food basket (no oil) and full ration for all other commodities. Some 74,906 people in Oromia and 16,979 people in Amhara regions respectively received the first round assistance under the pilot relief cash and voucher program. The scheme will be expanded to Somali region later this year.

As of the same date, the dispatch of the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) food allocation for May stood at 71 per cent and that of June at 62 per cent. For more information, contract wfp.addisababa@wfp.org

WASH Update

The national water trucking need currently stands at 23 trucks, of which the Government and WASH partners are supporting the operation of 19 trucks in Afar (all 12 trucks requested) and Tigray (seven of the 11 trucks requested) regions. The trucking needs in Edaga Arbi woreda (two trucks) and Shire town (two trucks) have yet to be met.

In Somali region, a rapid assessment team was deployed to Korahe zone following reports of water shortages in four kebeles of Kebridahar woreda. The regional government requested the NGO ACF to support the water trucking needs identified by the team. For more information, contact awesterbeek@unicef.org